According to the Cocos Keeling Islands Visitor Centre, the islands are safe to visit. There are no snakes, no dangerous spiders. The island has a 30-50 kph speed limit and the roads are shared by everyone – walkers, bikes, scooters and vehicles.
There are plenty of picturesque spots for all swimming levels to take a dip but please but aware there is no coastguard or lifesaving facilities so exercise caution when undertaking watersports of any kind.
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Feedback received from the World ARC Team in September/October 2025:
The Ferry Service – When we were there we didn’t have or hear of any issues with the ferry, we took it from West to Home Island and back to West Island and quite a few participants took it between Direction and Home/West Island without any problems. It’s cheap particularly for Cocos and compared with hiring a water taxi, air-conditioned and convenient.
The Water Taxi costs $100 pp each way between Home Island and Direction Island, regardless of how many people go in one trip. It’s a tiny motor boat which would fit a maximum of three to four people and can be a wet and uncomfortable ride.
Fuel wasn’t available on Home Island – jerry cans had to be taken over to West Island and then Tony from Salty’s Café facilitated a water taxi to bring them back as full jerry cans are not allowed on the ferry.
Local activities and events may affect the opening hours of shops on Home Island so check with the locals if you can.
Rachael
World Cruising Club
Now Covid travel restrictions are lifting we are starting to plan our exit from Australia and were very much hoping to stop via Cocos Keeling. This makes for a predictable weather window to travel the first big hop to cross the Indian Ocean. Noon site suggests that permission is granted on a ‘case-by-case basis’ – but I just posted an application and it was declined. Application forms are setup to expect you to fly in and out from WA, but I completed them anyway and added comments to clarify our situation.
Has anyone managed to get an approval?
Any thoughts? Tips?
Hi MaryAnne, thanks for the question. I’ve made contact with the Authorities in Cocos and will let you know what they come back with.
Following as we are in similar situation.
Posted on behalf of Paul Stephens aboard s/v Tin Tin:
Getting to West island to clear in/out was less easy especially as there was no consensus on the ferry timetable. I have since laminated one and attached to the notice board. There is a ferry from Direction to Home island on Saturday a.m. at 10:00 but the connections don’t really work to get back again.
So it’s best to dinghy the 1.5nm to Home island giving the chance if the last ferry back from West island at 16:00. Ferry is AU $3.50 single or $5.00 return. The bus meets the ferry for $0.50… everything shuts at 15:00 on Saturday and there was no cafe or bar open. The Community Centre was helpful with Wi-Fi, and the shop reasonably stocked.
Using broadband radar over-layed on the Navionics Gold electronic charts, we found that the chart was precisely accurate. There is an error in the positioning of the entrance waypoint on the plan of Direction Island in the Indian Ocean Crossing Guide.
The plan shows the waypoint to be at the seaward end of the leading lines to West Island but, when plotted, it is 0.28M east of the leading lines. The waypoint is still a perfectly safe place to head for, although the boat will be closer to the land than the plan suggests.
In September 2015 there is now buoyage (unlit) to help you into the anchorage: From the IO Crossing Guide waypoint, head S and then SE towards the first tall post with a red can top. Leave that post to port and then turn towards the anchorage. If you have good light, you’ll see a band of reef ahead of you.
Identify the smaller post with a green triangle on top as this marks the area of deeper water over the reef. Keep the post close on your starboard side. We found the depths to be either equal to or more than those marked on the Navionics Gold chart. There are lots of small reefs in the anchorage but they are all deep until close inshore.
Anchor west of the jetty to keep out of the ferry/recreation zone.